Window-operating mechanism



L. M. PHELPS.

WINDOW OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION r1151: JAN. 18. 1918..

1,397, 1 1 2. Patented Nov. 15, 1921.

WV; k v I ATTORNEY STATES PATENT FFlQE.

WINDOW-OPERATING MECHANISM.

Application filed January 18, 1918.

To aZZ to 7mm it may concern Be it known that I, LEONARD M. PI-InLPs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Window-Operating Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to window operating mechanism for the window sash in which a tripping lever controlling a sash gripping means is normaly held in a set position by a comparatively stiff absorbent sheet such as blotting paper or card board until the said sheet loses its strength and gives away when said sheet becomes moist whereupon the said tripping lever is permitted to swing to another position and cooperate with the sash gripping means to release the sash and permit the same to move to a closed position in case of rain or abnormal moisture.

The invention also embodies novel means for urging the sash down when released and for relieving the sash of all supplementary weight before the sash gets all the way down to eliminate noise or jar, said means comprising a guiding rod carried by the window frame, a weighted rod, a guiding eye carried by the sash for connecting said weighted rod thereto, said weighted rod being adapted to pass through said guiding eye and have reciprocating movement therein, said weighted rod being provided with an eye bent at right angles and fitted over said guiding rod, an adjustable collar carried by said guiding rod for limiting the downward movement of said weighted rod relative to the downward movement of said sash, a thumb screw carried by said collar for setting the same to a proper height on said guiding rod so the sash will close with out noise or ar. I

The object in view is to provide a reliable inexpensive means that can be readily attached to any ordinary window without any alteration of the construction of the window and which will not only prevent damage by rain blowing in at the windows when the same are inadvertently left open but eliminate the inconvenience of climbing stairs and rushing to remote parts of the house to shut windows every time it threatens rain or as a precaution against rain when going out on a brief errand or visit. ll am aware that there has been a number of devices of this character patented but they are too com- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 15, 1921.

Serial No. 212,491.

plicated and too expensive as well as unreliable to be of any commercial value.

A. further object in view is to provide a device of this character that is not only very sensitive to rain but will also shut the win dow in case of the least abnormal moisture as for closing the windows of living apartments during the night as a safeguard against persons becoming chilled by the nlght air while asleep.

To attain these objects, the width or strength of the absorbent sheet may be varied to suit any degree of sensitiveness to moisture or rain, a verynarr w, delicate sheet being used for extreme scnsitiveness to moisture and wider or stronger sheets for rain.

lVith these and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a front elevation of the window sash showing the releasing means applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the sash and window frame showing the releasing means and the closing means carried by the sash.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through the window sash looking directly down upon the top of the automatic releasing means.

By referring to the drawings, 1 desig- .nates the window frame shown in Figs. 1

and 2, within which frame is slidably mounted an upper sash 2 and a lower sash 3, these sashes being supported in any suitable or desired manner within the frame 1. A guiding rod 4 is carried by the frame 1, this guiding rod is provided with inwardly turned ends 5 extending into the frame of the window and having the body of the rod spaced therefrom. An adjustable stop cellar 6 is mounted upon the guiding rod 4: and is shown in an adjusted position thereon by means of a set screw 7 shown in Fig. 2.

A closure rod 8 is carried by the lower sash 3 as shown in Fig. 2 and this closure rod or closing rod 8 is provided with an eye 9 at the upper end thereof, the eye 9 being adapted to receive the guiding rod 4 and have sliding movement thereon as shown in Fig. 2, a guiding eye or sleeve 10 is carried by the lower sash 3 through which eye 10 the closure rod 8 is adapted to pass and have sliding movement therein as shown in Fig. 2. The rod 8 is provided with a hook 11 at the lower end thereof, the hook 11 supporting a weight 12. Of course any suitable form of weight or weights may be attached to sash for moving the same to a closed position when released. The collar 6 may be set to any desired position upon the guiding rod 4 to stop the weighted rod 8 at a suitable point before the sash 8 gets all the way down and allow the sash to finish its travel by the impetus imparted to the sash by the weighted rod 8 before the eye 9 engages the eye 10. In this way all loud noise caused by the sash striking the window sill may be eliminated. The closing means as described is principally for very large window sash that require large and unsightly weights to urge the sash down when released and on such windows the rod 8 may be extended through the floor or into a cavity provided within the wall and the weights disposed beneath the floor or within the wall. I do not wish to be confined to this particular construction. On ordinary win- (lows the hook 11 and the weight 12 may be dispensed with by making the rod 8 heavy enough to close the sash when the same is released. Instead of the guide 10 being carried by the sash 8 a similar guide may be carried by the window frame adjacent the sash within or upon the window frame or casing and the rod 8 provided with an overhanging portion adapted to engage the sash 3 when the sash is raised beyond a certain point and disengage the sash at a predetermined point by placing the guide mentioned a few inches above the top of the sash 3 the rod 8 being stopped by the engagement of the said overhanging portion of rod 8 with the said guide carried by the frame 1.

By referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 3 inclusive, it will be seen that the releasing means compr1ses a supporting bracket 14 this supporting bracket 14- being secured to the lower rail. of the outer sash 2 and being provided with an extending arm 15 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This arm 15 carries a forwardly extending collar 16 through which collar 16 extends the gripping lever supporting rod 17. This supporting rod 17 is held in an adjusted position within the collar 16 by means of a set screw 18 as shown in Fig. 2. A sash gripping lever 19 is pivotally secured to the inner end of the supporting rod 1'? and this lever 19 is provided with a rounded head portion 20 on one end thereof. the head portion 20 engaging the lower sash for the purpose of holding the sash ina set position. The rod 17 is provided with a.

downwardly bent offset portion 21 near the outer end thereof and this rod 17 carries a pivoted yoke 22, the yoke 22 being pivot ally secured to the portion 21 of the rod 17 by means of a pivot pin 23. A retaining loop 24 is connected to the forward end of the yoke 22 and this loop 24 is provided with a widened looped outer end 25 which over hangs the outer end of rod 17 as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. A strip of blotting paper 26 is adapted to rest upon the outer end. of the rod 17 and this blotting paper 26 is adapted to engage the under face of the looped portion 25 of the loop 24 and normally hold the same against swinging movement upon the pivot 23. A link or retractile spring connection 27 extends from the free end of the lever 19 to the yoke 22 and this link is pivotally connected to the yoke 22 at a point indicated by numeral 28, and when the yoke 22 is swung to a position shown in Fig. 2, the pull of the spring 27 is nearly on the dead center of the pivot 23, in this way the loop 25 is brought to bear very lightly on the strip of blotting paper 26 and the weight of the window sash does not increase the pressure upon the strip of blotting paper 26. v

It should be understood that the hygroscopic strip 26 has suflicient strength when dry to normally hold the loop or tripping member 2425 in a set position whereupon the sash gripping member 19 is held in a set position for holding the window sash in an open position and when the absorbent strip 26 becomes moist as by rain or dew the strip 26 loses its strength and bends under the pressure of loop 25 permitting the same to swing to a position that causes the spring 27 to loosen and thereby disengage the lever 19 with the sash 3 and allow the sash to move to a closed position under pressure of the weighted member 8 as previously described.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that a very simple and efiicient mechan ical device has been produced whereby a window will be automatically closed not only by rain'but by the least abnormal moisture as is most desirable under various conditions and requirements. While blotting paper being instantaneous in action in absorbing moisture is preferable for ness to moisture a less expensive material such as common card-board or newspaper may be used for rain by proper variation in the width and thickness of the strip 26 to attain the desired'degree of sensitiveness to mm.

It will also be seen that the construction shown is simple and a device is produced that is easily adjusted to any window regardless of the thickness of the sash, this object being attained by the adjustment of rod 17 within the collar 16 by means of'the set screw 18. I do not wish to be confined to these details of construction. Various changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of this invention.

extreme sensitive- Referring particularly to the releasing means, I have here shown the supporting bracket 14 as being secured to the outer face of sash By slight modification this bracket 14: may be secured to the under face of sash 2 or to the window frame and properly spaced from sash 3 to give thelever 19 the proper grip for holding the sash in an open position. In thisway the set screw 18 and the adjustment of the rod 17 is dispensed with and the construction simplified. I have also shown the supporting rod 17 as being carried by the bracket 14 said bracket 14 being secured to the sash 2, the gripping lever 19 being pivotally'secured tothe inner end of rod 17. Instead of this arrangement the gripping lever 19 may be separately mounted upon any suitable supporting means as upon the window frame, within or without the house or upon a suitable bracket secured to the bottom of sash 2, the rod 17 may be mounted upon any suitable supporting means and at any distance from the window for convenience in replacing the paper strip where the window is too high to adjust the tripping lever and the paper if the rod 17 is carried by a bracket secured to the sash 2. The connecting link 27 may assume the proportions of a long cable extending from the tripping member 24 over suitable sectors or pulleys to the sash gripping lever 19. A further modification is to extend a plurality of links 27 to the sash gripping levers 19 of a plurality of windows whereupon a plurality of distant windows may be closed through the yielding of one absorbent strip and the absorbent sheet 26 may be renewed and the parts reset without the necessity of going to the windows orentering the rooms where such windows are located. The device does not interfere with the regular manual operation of the window sash and the 00- cupants of any room may open or close any window at any time and if windows are left open they will all close automatically as soon as a drop of rain falls or spatters onto the absorbent strip 26 and thereby secure the room and the contents thereof from damage by rain blowing in at the windows.

From the foregoing it will be readily seen that so long as the absorbent sheet is dry and retains its normal strength the tripping lever is sustained and the sash is held in an open position by the frictional engagement of the gripping lever with the sash and when said absorbent sheet gives away the sash is released and permitted to move to a closed position. It will also be seen that when the said sash is released the weighted rod urges the sash downward and follows the sash just far enough to impart sufficient impetus to the sash to send it all the way down without any noise or jar. v

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,

engaging said guiding rod, means for limiting the sliding movement of said weighted rod upon said guiding rod, means carried by said sash for connecting said weighted rod thereto, means comprising a sash gripping lever adapted to engage said sash for holding the same in an open position, means for holding said gripping lever in engagement with said sash under certain normal conditions and disengaging said lever with said sash under certain abnormal conditions, such as rain or abnormal moisture.

2. In combination, a window frame, an

upper sash, a lower sash slidably mounted in said frame, a guiding rod carried by said frame, a weighted rod provided with an eye to receive said guiding rod, means comprising an adjustable collar carried by said guiding rod for limiting the sliding movement of said weighted rod upon said guiding rod, means comprising guiding eye carried by said lower sash through which said weighted rod is adapted to pass :tor connecting said weighted rod to said lower sash, means comprising a supporting bracket carried by said upper sash, a gripping lever carried by said supporting bracket said gripping lever being adapted to engage said lower sash for bold ing the same in an open position, means comprising a supporting arm carried by said bracket, a yoke carried by said supporting arm, a tripping lever pivotally mounted in said yoke, a yieldable link connection extending from said tripping lever to said gripping lever all of said parts cooperating I to hold said gripping lever in engagement with said lower sash. for holding the same in an open position when said tripping lever is in a. set position and to disengage said gripping lever with said sash permitting the same to move to a closed position when said tripping lever is released from its set posi tion, means comprising a comparatively stiff absorbent sheet interposed between said supporting arm and said tripping lever for holding the same in a set position under normal condltions and releasing said tripping lever under abnormal condition as by the action of rain, moisture or fire upon said absorbent sheet. I.

3. A window operator including in combination, a window frame, an upper sash, a lower sash slidably mounted in said frame, a guiding rod carried by said frame, a weighted rod provided with an eye to receive said guiding rod, means comprising an adjustable collar carried by said guiding rod for limiting the sliding movement of said weighted rod upon said guiding rod, means comprising a guiding eye carried by said lower sash through which said weighted rod is adapted to pass for connecting said weighted rod to said lower sash, means comprising a supporting bracket carried by said upper sash, a gripping lever carried by said supporting bracket, said gripping lever be ing adapted to engage the said lower sash for holding the same in an open position,

by said bracket, a yoke carried by said arm,

means comprising a supportin arm carried va tripping lever pivotally mounted in said yoke and overhanging theiree end of said supporting arm, a yieldable'hnk connection extending from said tripping lever to said gripping lever,'said link extending across the pivot of said tripping lever and cooperating with same to hold said gripping lever in engagement with said lower sash for holding the same in a set position with relation to said upper sash until said tripping lever'is released from a set position, means comprising a comparatively stiff sheet of hygroscopic material interposed between said supporting arm and the said tripping lever for normally holding the in a set position until said sheet is weakened by moisture whereupon the said sheet yields under the strain- 0f the said tripping lever permitting the same to swing on its pivot and thereby release the said sash allowing the same to be moved to a closed position by the closing means described.

l. A window operator including in combination, a plurality of windows each having sashes slidably mounted in a frame, means comprising weights carried by the said sashes for urging the same to a closed position, means "for limiting the downward movement of said weightsto prevent noise, releasing means comprising a lever pivoted adjacent the sash of each of said windows, a rod secured in any suitable manner to any suitable supporting means at anysuitable distance from the windows, a loop or U shape tripping lever pivoted in any suitable manner to said rod intermediate its length, the loop end of said lever being adapted to overhang the free end of said rod, resilient means extending from said tripping lever to the said gripping lever of each of the said sashes, said resilient means extending across the center of the pivot ofsaid tripping lever and nearly on the dead center of said pivot when said tripping lever is 1n a set position, all of said means cooperating with the gripping levers-to hold all of the sashes in an open position when the said tripping lever is in a set position and release all of said sashes upon the tripping lever being moved from its set position, means comprising a comparatively still sheet of hygroscopic material interposed between said rod and the said tripping lever for normally holding the same in a set position until said sheet is weakened by moisturewhereupon the said sheet yields under the strain of the said tripping lever permitting the same to swing on its pivot and thereby release all of the said sashes simultaneously allowing the same to be moved to a closed position by the weighted means described.

5. A window operatorincluding in combination, a window with an upper sash and a lower sash slidably moun ed in a frame, a weighted means for applying pressure to the sash for the purpose 01"" urging the same to a closed position, means for relieving the sash oi 'said pressure before the sash gets all the way ClOWllItO a prevent noise, means comprising a gripping lever pivotally cured to any suitable supporting means'ad jacent the sash, a supporting arm secured in any suitable mannerto any suitablesupporting means at any suitable distance iTOHl the sash and at a point of convenient access for easy adjustment, a loop shape tripping lever pivoted in any suitable manner to said supporting arm intermediate its length, the loop end of said lever overhanging the free end of said arm, resilient means extending from said tripping lever to the said gripping lever, said resilient means extending across the pivot of said tripping lever and nearly on the dead center oi? said pivot when said tripping lever is in a set position, all of said means cooperating with the said gripping lever to hold the sash in an open position when the said tripping lever is in a set position and release the said sash upon the tripping lever being moved from its set position, means comprising a comparatively still sheet of hygroscopic material interposed between said arm and the said trippinglever for normally holding thesaine in a set position until said sheet is weakened by moisture whereupon the said sheet yields under the strain of the said tripping lever permitting the same to swing on its pivot and thereby release the said sash allowing the same to be moved tov closed position by the closing means described. 7

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses; 

